Since my last post, we've been trucking merrily along despite our grieving. I don't want to minimize or reduce our January baby's short life with us. God has been good. He has provided hope, love and support amidst sadness and loss. We really have been merry. He is so good to us. See picture proof.
The first two photos shows family time that we spent together this past fall. The last photo shows our little guy displaying "his" reindeer and dinosaur. He was really proud of it. There is so much joy.
Since my last post though, I did feel something of a creative brain freeze. I often think of my life situations as blog post titles. A catchy title that floats around in my head. A witty one-liner that a blog post could highlight. But since my last post, nothing of that sort happened. It wasn't at all that I ignored my life, or even lived in an out-of-body or depressed state. Just that creative thinking in the form of blog writing was obliterated. A side effect of sorts probably...
In the past month or so, I've felt it begin to come back. None as strong as before, but it's there. Slightly. Which is the reason for this uninspired post on an inspirational topic: Christmas.
What is Christmas like for our family?
We look forward to Christmas all year long. The festivities. The music. (Once November hits, it's all legit here). The cozy decorations (December 1st baby). The gift giving (I *LOVE* gift giving and plan it all year long). The cherishing of baby Jesus (the boy talks about Baby Jesus *swoon*). The hope and wonder of His earthly parents (What do you mean you're in labour, Mary? We don't have a safe place for you yet....!!). As young parents ourselves, the nativity story touches close to home.
We spend Christmas Eve with Brad's family. It's a warm and inviting evening. Supper prepared by my inlaws. Reading the Christmas story from Luke. Opening presents for the children and stockings by that adults. My inlaws (wisely) allow the kids to open their presents the week leading up to Christmas so that they're not overwhelmed on Christmas eve. It works really well.
Christmas Day we spend with ourselves. Similar events though. Cozy. Joyful. Homey.
Then some time in the afternoon, we will have supper with my family. More food. More gifts. More joy.
Chatting with a friend, she talked about the post-Christmas let down, kind of like that post-olympic let down, a kind of blues after such anticipation, optimism and general high. I know what she means since I often feel this way at the end of the school year when summer begins. But for Christmas, I don't feel this way. I think it's because we stretch out our festivities. Each of our traditions is so regular every year (we never travel during Christmas so it's always the same...) that it's like an old friend. We are so satisfied with the recurrent events and we know it will happen again, Lord willing, next Christmas.
Maybe also, in a cheesy and almost cliche but true way, it's because Christmas is in our hearts.
For His Glory -
Sharon.
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